The Marine Department is requesting a budget of 4.7 billion baht for the upcoming fiscal year to support a number of development projects and for the agency to conduct research on the creation of a marine hub.
Sompong Jirasirilert, deputy director-general of the Marine Department, said 3.77 billion baht of the overall budget is allocated for investment plans, while the remaining 963 million baht is allocated for fixed expenditures. The expenditure plan allotted 25 million baht for the study of maritime hub development, which involves the construction of marinas in six Andaman provinces: Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun.
According to Sompong, the development project, in line with the government’s plan to transform the country into a maritime hub for tourism and marine transport, is expected to attract more tourists and generate revenue for local residents in these provinces.
In addition, the fiscal budget plan for 2023 contains a tied-over fund of 892 million baht, intended for the renovation of 29 piers along the Chao Phraya River and a beach restoration project, among others.
The Marine Department also revealed plans to remove 658,000 tons of water hyacinth during the fiscal year of 2023 with a budget of 18.8 million baht. Since the beginning of 2022, the agency has eliminated over 563,000 tons of water hyacinth, or nearly 74% of its objective of 762,000 tons.(NNT)
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